Can I Run Natural Selection 2?
Unknown Worlds Entertainment · 2012
Our verdict
Needs a mid-range graphics card
A budget GTX 1650 or RX 6500 XT averages about 53 FPS at 1080p; 60 FPS needs about a GTX 1660 Super or RX 6600.
Check your own PC ↓Estimated FPS at 1080p
GAMERSPECS ESTIMATEOn a mid-range RTX 4060 or RX 7600, Natural Selection 2 averages about 136 FPS at 1080p; a budget GTX 1650 or RX 6500 XT averages about 53 FPS, and a high-end RTX 4080 or RX 7900 XTX averages 300+ FPS.
The publisher states no target settings for Natural Selection 2, so figures assume High, the usual target of a recommended spec.
Budget GPU
GTX 1650 / RX 6500 XT
~50–60 FPS
High (assumed from the recommended spec) · native
Low Performance
Mid-range GPU
RTX 4060 / RX 7600
~120–150 FPS
High (assumed from the recommended spec) · native
Great
High-end GPU
RTX 4080 / RX 7900 XTX
300+ FPS
Graphics card's limit
High (assumed from the recommended spec) · native
Excellent
300+ FPS: This is the graphics card's limit. The game's own frame cap or your CPU will often set the real number.
Want your exact FPS? Enter your CPU, GPU and resolution.
Check My PC →What limits performance in Natural Selection 2
The graphics card: frame rates in Natural Selection 2 rise with GPU speed.
Graphics card (GPU)
Main limit
60 FPS at 1080p needs about a GTX 1660 Super or RX 6600; a budget GTX 1650 or RX 6500 XT averages about 53 FPS.
Processor (CPU)
No measured limit
We couldn't place the publisher's processor requirement ("Quad-core processor 3.2 GHz (Intel i5, i7) or 3.6 GHz (AMD Ryzen, FX or Athlon)") on our scale. We have no measured processor limit for Natural Selection 2, so the frame rates on this page assume your processor isn't holding the graphics card back.
Video memory (VRAM)
2 GB min · 4 GB rec
The minimum spec lists 2 GB of video memory and the recommended spec 4 GB. On a card with less, lower texture quality first: running out of video memory shows up as stutter or blurry textures, not as a lower average.
Settings to lower first in Natural Selection 2
- 1Resolution or render scale, or upscaling (DLSS, FSR or XeSS) where Natural Selection 2 offers it. Rendering fewer pixels is the biggest single saving.
- 2Then shadows, volumetric effects (fog, clouds, lighting) and ambient occlusion: in most games these cost the most frame rate for the least visible difference.
- 3Texture quality only if your card has less than 4 GB of video memory. With enough memory, textures cost little frame rate, so keep them high.
Can I run Natural Selection 2 on my graphics card?
Pick your GPU for a straight yes-or-no, an FPS estimate at every resolution, and the settings to run.
Check your GPU against Natural Selection 2
Pick your graphics card to see the verdict and estimated frame rates.
Can You Run Natural Selection 2?
Pick your CPU, GPU, RAM and OS — we check each one against Natural Selection 2’s official minimum and recommended requirements.
Your PC
We could only check your RAM, and it meets Natural Selection 2's minimum
We couldn't compare your graphics card or processor; compare them with the publisher's list below.
Wrong result? Tell us| Component | Your PC | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPU | GeForce RTX 4060 | DirectX 11 compatible dedicated video card with 2 GB VRAM | DirectX 11 compatible dedicated video card with 4GB VRAM |
| CPU | Core i5-13400 | Dual-core processor 2.4 GHz (Intel Core 2 Duo, i3), 2.6 GHz (AMD Athlon or FX) | Quad-core processor 3.2 GHz (Intel i5, i7) or 3.6 GHz (AMD Ryzen, FX or Athlon) |
| RAM | 16 GB | 6 GB | 8 GB |
| OS | Windows 11 | 7 64-Bit (SP1) or Windows 10 64-Bit | 7 64-Bit (SP1) or Windows 10 64-Bit |
Verdict compares your components against the game’s published requirements using our GPU/CPU benchmark database. Estimates — real performance varies with drivers, settings and cooling.
Join the squadNot sure? Ask our community.Join our Discord →Natural Selection 2 System Requirements
The official minimum and recommended PC specs for Natural Selection 2, component by component.
| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| OS | 7 64-Bit (SP1) or Windows 10 64-Bit | 7 64-Bit (SP1) or Windows 10 64-Bit |
| Processor | Dual-core processor 2.4 GHz (Intel Core 2 Duo, i3), 2.6 GHz (AMD Athlon or FX) | Quad-core processor 3.2 GHz (Intel i5, i7) or 3.6 GHz (AMD Ryzen, FX or Athlon) |
| Memory | 6 GB RAM | 8 GB RAM |
| Graphics | DirectX 11 compatible dedicated video card with 2 GB VRAM | DirectX 11 compatible dedicated video card with 4GB VRAM |
| DirectX | 11.0 | 11.0 |
| Storage | 13 GB HD space | 13 GB HD space |
Show the full Steam listingHide the full Steam listing
Minimum
OS: 7 64-Bit (SP1) or Windows 10 64-Bit Processor: Dual-core processor 2.4 GHz (Intel Core 2 Duo, i3), 2.6 GHz (AMD Athlon or FX) Memory: 6 GB RAM Graphics: DirectX 11 compatible dedicated video card with 2 GB VRAM DirectX®: 11.0 Hard Drive: 13 GB HD space Other Requirements: Broadband Internet connection
Recommended
OS: 7 64-Bit (SP1) or Windows 10 64-Bit Processor: Quad-core processor 3.2 GHz (Intel i5, i7) or 3.6 GHz (AMD Ryzen, FX or Athlon) Memory: 8 GB RAM Graphics: DirectX 11 compatible dedicated video card with 4GB VRAM DirectX®: 11.0 Hard Drive: 13 GB HD space Other Requirements: Broadband Internet connection
Source: Steam
Natural Selection 2 — FAQ
Can I run Natural Selection 2?+
Needs a mid-range graphics card. A budget GTX 1650 or RX 6500 XT averages about 53 FPS at 1080p; 60 FPS needs about a GTX 1660 Super or RX 6600. Use the checker on this page to test your exact CPU, GPU, RAM and OS against the official requirements.
What are the minimum system requirements for Natural Selection 2?+
Natural Selection 2 needs at least a Dual-core processor 2.4 GHz (Intel Core 2 Duo, i3), 2.6 GHz (AMD Athlon or FX) processor, a DirectX 11 compatible dedicated video card with 2 GB VRAM graphics card, 6 GB of RAM, 13 GB HD space of storage, running 7 64-Bit (SP1) or Windows 10 64-Bit.
Can Natural Selection 2 run without a graphics card?+
Only on the strongest integrated graphics: AMD's Radeon 780M averages about 39 FPS at 1080p, while Iris Xe averages about 24 FPS. A budget dedicated card is the safer choice.
How much RAM does Natural Selection 2 need?+
Natural Selection 2 officially requires a minimum of 6 GB of RAM, with 8 GB recommended for smooth performance. 16GB is a comfortable amount for modern gaming overall.
More games to check
FPS values displayed on GamerSpecs are estimates. Actual game performance may vary depending on hardware configuration, drivers, cooling, power limits, background applications, and game updates.